A Step Backward and Forward in an Age-Friendly University Initiative: Adapting a Campus Learning Partnership

Abstract The 5-campus UMass system received designation as an Age-Friendly University (AFU) in 2019. AFU Principle 1 highlights the importance of involving older adults in University activities. UMass Lowell’s Center for Gerontology Research and Partnerships collaborated with the Learning in Retirement Association (LIRA) in Spring 2020 to offer aging-related courses around healthy aging. However, due to COVID-19, these were canceled and are re-scheduled for Spring 2021 via Zoom. The paper will describe the process of selecting course offerings with LIRA and the subsequent cancellation/rescheduling process and adaptation needed. A course will focus on AFU initiative and the opportunities and challenges at UMass Lowell. Likewise, the other course will offer a session on technology and aging where age-based digital divide and strategies for reducing it will be discussed. This paper will reflect on how the collaboration with LIRA and course selection process relates to the AFU principles 1, 5 and 9.

The pandemic has revealed a multitude of challenges disproportionately impacting older adults, including older adult learners. Institutions of higher education are uniquely positioned to respond to various challenges using the guiding framework of the Age-Friendly University global initiative. This presentation highlights how preexisting university student support practices and services were adapted to provide older adult learners with guidance for navigating their educational needs during the pandemic. Specifically, it expands on strategies utilized by Adult Learner Programs and Services to effectively pivot to virtual services to support the advising and programming needs of older adult learners. Survey data identifying areas of interest for virtual programming for older adult students will be explored. Recommendations will be discussed for promoting effective transitioning to virtual support systems, preserving student engagement and intergenerational learning, and advocating for aging to remain central to university diversity and inclusion initiatives.
Association (LIRA) in Spring 2020 to offer aging-related courses around healthy aging. However, due to COVID-19, these were canceled and are re-scheduled for Spring 2021 via Zoom. The paper will describe the process of selecting course offerings with LIRA and the subsequent cancellation/rescheduling process and adaptation needed. A course will focus on AFU initiative and the opportunities and challenges at UMass Lowell. Likewise, the other course will offer a session on technology and aging where age-based digital divide and strategies for reducing it will be discussed. This paper will reflect on how the collaboration with LIRA and course selection process relates to the AFU principles 1, 5 and 9.

COVID-19: HOW IT SHAPED NURSING HOME CARE AND ELDER JUSTICE Chair: Brian Lindberg
This session will provide updates on how the pandemic led to horrific situations in long-term care facilities and how the pandemic influenced major federal efforts to address elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation.

THE ELDER JUSTICE ACT AND THE PANDEMIC Robert Blancato, Elder Justice Coalition, Washington, District of Columbia, United States
This session will provide updates on how the pandemic led to horrific situations in long-term care facilities and how the pandemic influenced major federal efforts to address elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation.

THE PANDEMIC AND NURSING HOME CARE Lori Smetanka, The National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term Care, Washington, District of Columbia, United States
This session will provide updates on how the pandemic led to horrific situations in long-term care facilities and how the pandemic influenced major federal efforts to address elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation.

PANDEMIC LESSONS FROM A LONG-TERM CARE OMBUDSMAN Mairead Painter, Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program, Hartford, Connecticut, United States
This session will provide updates on how the pandemic led to horrific situations in long-term care facilities and how the pandemic influenced major federal efforts to address elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation.

DOING AGING RESEARCH TOGETHER: INNOVATIVE PERSPECTIVES ON PARTICIPATORY APPROACHES Chair: Anna Wanka Co-Chair: Anna Urbaniak
The symposium aims to take a closer look at what it means to involve older participants in ageing research -beyond the role of research subjects. By discussing projects that deploy different participatory approaches we investigate the manifold ways in which older adults can become co-creators of the research process. We do so comparing such approaches in different domains, with different outcomes and in different stages of the research process. Consequently, this symposium (1) looks at the research process through the lens of benefits and challenges resulting from involving older adults as co-creators; (2) showcases projects across different domains and different jurisdictions that applied participatory approach in ageing research to discuss benefits and challenges, and (3) advances scientific insights into participatory approaches involving older adults. After an introductory contribution outlining theories, concepts and developments of participatory approaches in ageing research, we present insights from three empirical studies in different cultural and thematic settings. In our first presentation, Anna Wanka and Anna Urbaniak open the symposium by presenting an overview of participatory approaches that involve older adults. In the first empirical presentation, Julia Nolte and Hamid Turker discuss the process of involving older adults in data analysis and therefor present data from the US. In the third presentation, Lillian Hunn highlights how the recent COVID-19 pandemic impacted patient involvement in research in Canada. Finally, Anna Urbaniak discusses the process of planning participatory research with hard to reach population among older adults in Austria, namely those who are socially excluded.

OLDER ADULTS AS CO-CREATORS IN THE RESEARCH PROCESS: AN OVERVIEW OF CONCEPTS, METHODS, AND APPROACHES Anna Wanka, Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Hessen, Germany
Participatory approaches have a long-standing tradition in the social sciences and approaches have diversified across multiple research domains. Also in ageing, there is a growing interest in involving older adults, particularly in fields like gerontechnology development, environmental gerontology or patient involvement. In this contribution, ask what participatory approaches and co-creation means in the context of ageing research. What are the benefits and challenges of involving older adults in different research domains, stages of the research process and deploying various participatory methods and approaches? To approach this question, we present preliminary results of a comprehensive scoping review of the literature and provide examples of how older adults can be involved in developing research questions together with researchers, collecting and analysing the data, as well as validating and disseminating study results.

DESIGNING PARTICIPATORY AGING RESEARCH ON EXCLUSION FROM SOCIAL RELATIONS: A CITIZEN SCIENCE PROJECT Anna Urbaniak, University of Vienna, Wien, Wien, Austria
Many policies and initiatives aim at enhancing the social participation of older adults. Despite this growing interest in increasing social inclusion and combating social exclusion in older age, the voices of socially-excluded older adults and their experiences remain underrepresented in research. Based on data from the Austrian research project "Socially Excluded Older Adults: Voices and Experiences" (SEVEN), I reflect on what it means to co-create research with the hard-to-reach populations of socially excluded older adults. Data discussed is derived By inviting this group to participate in each stage of the research, the project develops an innovative approach